Digitilised plan of Chernivtsi from around 1888 prepared by Ludwik West. Map issued by the publisher Andreas Juszynski

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Map Description

This map of Chernivtsi shows the territory of the city in the late nineteenth century.

The map is not dated. A publication by L. West dates it to 1888 [63], p. 20. 1891-1894 can be considered the outside date,as that is when the new Jesuit Church was built in the territory, marked on the map as Projektirter Stadttheil ("Prospective development").

The plan was drawn by the City Construction Engineer Ludwig West.

The plan was printed to order of Andreas Juszyński. The graphical execution and printing were carried out by the Eduard Hölzel's Geographical Institute in Vienna.

Map Characterization:

The plan was drawn using color lithography techniques.

The plan details configuration of construction.

Orientation numbering of the buildings is shown.

District limits are not shown, although disrict names are provided.

Blue arabic numerals are used to show elevations.

The map does not show the Horecza disrict, or the lands east of the river Prut.

The map is oriented eastward. This unusual orientation is occasioned by the horizontal presentation of the city’s territory on the sheet, and by the city’s topographic situation from the south to the north.

All names and insriptions on the map are provided in German.

Inconsistencies and inaccuracies on the map:

The map shows the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady (wooden, constructed in 1735) as located on Mariacki Square, next to the Turkish Well, although the church had been moved to the Kaliczanka suburb back in 1876.

The map shows the city of Chernivtsi at the beginning of its heyday – in the last quarter of the nineteenth century.

Among the most important new buildings of this period, are: the Armenian Church (1875), the Tempel (1877), the Monument to Austria (1875), the City Theater at the corner of Turetska and Shkilna Streets (1877), the Music Society (1877), the Teachers' Seminary (Pädagogium, 1880s), the ensemble of buildings of the Residence of the Metropolitans of Bukovina and Dalmatia (1882), the Institute for Natural Sciences (1883), the Industry School (1882-1884), and the People's School (1887).

In 1887, while on a visit to Chernivtsi, the Emperor's son, Crown Prince Rudolph, said: "I am very happy to be able to spend tomorrow in this beautiful city" [66], p. 99

As of 1880, the city's population comprised about 44,600 people. This included 11,271 Germans, 11,271 Jews, 8,232 Ruthenians, 6,431 Romanians, 6,707 Poles (including Greek (Eastern-rite) Catholics), and 510 people of other ethnicities.

Below is the information on the map’s author: "Prepared based on official data by the City Construction Enginer Ludwig West" (Nach amtlichen Aufzeichnungen zusammengestellt von dem städt. Bau-Ingenieur Ludwig West).